Men's and Women's Tennis Volunteer with Local Community
12/23/2024 9:29:00 AM | General, Men's Tennis, Women's Tennis
SANTA CRUZ, Ca. - The UC Santa Cruz Men's and Women's Tennis teams recently took part in a meaningful volunteer project in Santa Cruz, helping to support the Homelessness Garden Project. This local initiative provides sustainable work for individuals experiencing homelessness by growing organic produce and offering them job training in the process. UCSC Women's Tennis also took part in volunteering with ACEing Autism, a program serving kids on the autism spectrum through social connection and tennis. The Banana Slugs had the opportunity to volunteer on November 7th and November 8th at the garden while they spent time with ACEing Autism on November 10th.
UC Santa Cruz Tennis Teams Volunteer for Homelessness Garden Project
The tennis teams spent the day at the garden, assisting with a variety of tasks such as planting, weeding, and organizing the crops. Their hard work not only contributed to the success of the project but also provided an opportunity for the student-athletes to connect with the community in a tangible and impactful way.
Head Coach Ross Pytko emphasized the significance of such volunteer efforts, stating, "Volunteering allows our student-athletes to give back to the community that supports them, while also learning important life lessons about empathy, responsibility, and teamwork. It's essential that we use our privilege to make a positive impact and support causes like the Homelessness Garden Project."
By participating in this volunteer effort, the teams demonstrated their commitment to making a difference both on and off the court, showing that the values of hard work and community service go hand in hand with athletic success.
UC Santa Cruz Women's Tennis Volunteers with ACEing Autism
With leadership and initiative from sophomore Melody Ghaffari, multiple members of the UCSC women's tennis program volunteered with ACEing Autism, a program for kids on the autism spectrum, at the West Tennis Courts.
ACEing Autism is a nonprofit organization that aims at helping children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) grow, develop and benefit from social connections and fitness through affordable tennis programming.
Melody Ghaffari of the UCSC tennis team said, "I've been a volunteer with ACEing Autism since middle school when a friend of mine introduced me to the program. I was the program director of my local chapter throughout high school and decided to start a new chapter here at Santa Cruz with the help of my Co-Program Director Andrew Tjoa. This program is so special to me, and it is incredibly rewarding to see the remarkable growth in both physical activity and social skills the participants achieve over the course of our sessions." (Courtesy of Santa Cruz Sentinel)
Photos by UCSC Tennis and Santa Cruz Sentinel
Players Mentioned
